Wayland Union H
igh School students are attending the YMCA Michigan Youth in Government Spring Conference in Lansing March 9-13. Students met with State Senator Tanya Schuitmaker and State Representative Ken Yonker.
The State YMCA Youth In Government program provides high school and middle school students with an opportunity to become acting state legislators, governors, lobbyists, lawyers, committee chairs. Students simulate all phases and positions of the actual state government. These students are challenged with many of the issues legislators must face in their elected offices.
Youth from throughout the state are selected as delegates from student councils, government classes or YMCAs and spend months researching for the event. They may go through an election process for leadership positions in the Michigan House and Senate, as well as the executive branch. They work in chambers to introduce, debate and vote on proposed legislative bills that have been written by the youth legislators in their hometowns.
The Youth in Government program meets in the legislative chambers of the state capitol in March and April and the courtrooms in Lansing where scaled down versions of actual sessions are conducted. Committees meet, debate is held, and bills are signed into model law.
PHOTO: (From left) Alyssa Iehl, Senator Schuitmaker, WHS government teacher Kara Denhof, Bri Cronk, Trenton Woodcox and Jon Seymour. (Photo courtesy of Laurie Zywicyznski)
